Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-03-17
LAID AWAY.
Thousands Attend the Funeral of Henry
Ward Beecher.


Ward Beecher.
The funeral services for Henry Ward
Beecher were he d in Brooklyn on the 18th
inst. The public offices We're closed bust
ness was entirely suspended and memorial
services were held In large number OF
churches in the vicinity of Plymouth
church. AS early as seven O'Clock the
streets were thronged with people hurry
ing in the direction Of Plymouth church.
Lines of police were stationed at the ends
of tn. block on which the church Il stu
ated and no one was allowed 20 pass
through the lines unless he had ticket
The side streets were packed with peop'e
who hung around hoping that they might
be allie TO get in without a ticket.
While the vast crowd OF people were
gathering outside of the church the lady
members of the congregation We're dress
ing the pulpit and casket with flowers.
The whole interior was turned into per-
feet Hover garden and the fragrant per
fume Of the roses pervaded the air. Tho
walls. galleries and organ were covered
with eversreen', p1Ims and Gala mes.
The reading desk was covered with roses
and vines as was also the chair in which
Mr.. Beecher sat for so many years In the
cen or OF the organ loft was n foral en-
BEN in the shape of a triangle on the top
of which were perched two white doves
with white rilhons in their hi j.. The IA
cade of the gallery was covered with pot
ted plants. The pulpit was loaded down
with towers and iioral emblems sent by
friends and different organization. he
casket was placed on cat lfalque of white
roses, white carnations and smilax dire t.
" in front OF the eading desk. The casket
was covered with lilies of the valley, eu-
chairs roses srniax, maiden hair ferns,
tn roses and French moss. Not n vestige
OF the black cloth covering OF the en- ket
could he seen. There was nothing to indi-
cate the presence of death. The church
had ft1nT ha mn nf N
than funeral
The doors of the church were thrown
OPEN about 10 O'Clock. Mr.. Beechers fami-
ly were not pre- ent, and hi pew was fl led
with flowers Mrs. Beecher was In the
church for few moments before the doors
were opened, hut LETT with her sons te.ore
the crowd entered.
After music Rev Dr. Hall read the OPEN
ing sentences OF the Protestant Epi, copal
burial ervice'. AT the clio Q of the lesson.
DR.. Hall delivered his Grafton, and during
its delivery there was not dry eve In the
hou Q. In closing his sermon DR.. Hall
haid
A brave and weary heart Is here at rest;
brave of old to dare brutal force and defy
the VIC ence of mobs and ruiiia ans in speak
ing for the slave; brave to accept the muir
murs and doubts of his political friends
when conscience prompted to part from
them; braveSt To wreste alone with a
great orrow when he could find no earth
. ~ nelD W e HDnOT MN lOF the
of his former acts: we love him and Won
der at him Tor the calm. sweet. gentle
resignation If these last years. God | be-
lieve. has led him step by step to 81 end his
last days among Us with wisdom gained
from the eros; u tender, gentle, soberer
wisdom, which helped him to zee the Cap
tain of our salvation who was made per-
feet through suffering that We may all be
of one and the great SUITE. err not ashamed
! to cal Us brethren.
! On his last Sunday evening in this place,
two week ago after the congregation had
retired from it. the organist and one or
two oil ers were practicing the hymn:
! Heard the voice of Jesus say:
Come unto Ne and rest
| Mr.. Bee her, Doubtless with that tire
| that follows a pastor Sunday work. re
/ manned and listened. Two street urchins
were promptod TO wander into the build
ing and one of them was Standing in tho
/ position of the boy whom Rafael has i'm
mortali2ed gazing up at the organ. The
old man, LAYING bis hand on the boys head,
/ turned his face upward and kissed him,
! and, with h S arm about the two, lett this
scene of his triumphs. his trials and his
| succe.se fore .er. 1t was fitting close to
a grand life, the old man of genius and
! fame shielding the little wanderers, great
| in bre ting traditional ways and Pre- JUDGES,
! great also in the ge' ture so like him, that
| re ognized, as did the Master. that the
I uuu tne pOOTtNI we're HIS
ren-the great preacher led out into tho
! night by the little name ess waits. But we
! bid him here farewell: and to me oftenest
will come the vision of his passing out of
/ yonder door with his arms about the boys,
! pa sing on to the city of God where he
| hears again the familiar voice of the
Master saying, "Of such is the kingdom OF
| he1ven.n
DR.. Hall pronounced the benediction and
the vast audience slowly filed out OF the
church.
After the conclusion o. the services al
the Plymouth church the public was ad
mitted TO view TIE body. In short time
the line EXTENDED for two blocks, and two
hours after the doors were thrown open
the line was nearly a quarter Of a mile
| long.
Tire other churches in which services
were held were all crowded 90 the utmost
ext mt of their capacity. e is estimate d
that fully 900 people attended ser, Ice in
the vaious thurche'. end fully twice that
number were gathered in the streets in
the neighl orhood of Plymouth church.